Corey Silverstrom scored 21 points and Isaiah Ellis nabbed six steals as the Chico State men's basketball team led wire-to-wire in a 76–66 victory against Cal State LA Friday night at Acker Gym.
The Wildcats have won 14 of their last 15 and 30 of their last 32 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) games played at Acker Gym.
At 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the CCAA, Chico State holds a percentage-points lead over Cal Poly Pomona (5-1) and Cal State San Marcos (4-1) atop the conference standings. UC San Diego is 4-2. The Wildcats entered the weekend ranked No. 1 in the West Region and No. 16 in the nation in the D2SIDA Media Poll.
True freshman Isaiah Brooks scores two of his career-best nine points.
Cal State LA slipped to 7-6 overall and 3-5 in the CCAA.
Silverstrom sank 8-of-16 shots, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. He was at his best down the stretch. The senior scored three of the last four Wildcats baskets and assisted on the other. His 3-pointer with 1:31 to play stretched Chico State's cushion to seven. He converted a layup on the Wildcats' next possession to push the lead to nine before sinking two free throws with 38 seconds left to put the game away.
Ellis' six steals are a new career high and matched the most by a Wildcat in the Greg Clink era. Rashad Parker had six against Cal State LA on Jan. 11, 2014. Junior Russell did it twice during Clink's first season at the helm in 2008-09. The school record is eight.
Ellis also chipped in eight points, three assists, and blocked a shot in his 100
th career game. He now has 100 career steals. The senior is the 10
th Wildcat to reach that milestone.
Silverstrom scored the game's first two baskets to give Chico State a 5-0 lead, and Isaiah Brooks and Marvin Timothy combined for 15 points, five rebounds, and a pair of assists off the bench to lead the Wildcats into the break with a 38–30 advantage.
The lead hovered between five and nine until Malik Duffy drained a pair of 3-pointers in a 71-second span to give Chico State its biggest lead of the night at 54–41 with 12:15 to go.
Cal State LA chipped away over the ensuing minutes, but Silverstrom's triple with 6:41 remaining got the Wildcats' cushion back to nine.
Marvin Timothy sparked the Wildcats in the first half with eight points and
four rebounds before the break.
Justin Briggs, who missed much of the first half with foul trouble, also asserted himself down the stretch. The sophomore center scored seven points and added three rebounds and three blocked over the game's final 12 minutes.
Jalen McFerren also played well Friday, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds, and a pair of assists. Brooks, a redshirt freshman and McFerren's heir apparent, scored a career-high nine points on 3-of-4 shooting and matched his career-best with a pair of assists in just 16 minutes.
The Wildcats are back in action at Acker Gym Sunday when they host Cal State Dominguez Hills (6-9, 3-5 CCAA) in a 2 p.m. New Year's Eve matinee.
Sunday is Wildcat Pantry Day at Acker Gym. Fans are encouraged to bring nutritious and non-perishable food donations, or cash, to support the Hungry Wildcat Food Pantry, which provides food items to food-insecure students. The Pantry is currently in need of canned chicken or fish, canned beans, canned vegetables and fruits, dry beans, lentils, pasta, rice, oatmeal, cereal, and healthy snacks such as granola bars.
